When death tolls are the measure of a disaster in the media it is easy to forget the stories of suffering behind the numbers

The death toll from the massive landslide in north-west China has risen to over 700 with more than a 1000 people still missing.

Witnesses report that the wall of mud was so powerful that buildings seven storeys high crumpled like paper. The path of destruction from the biggest landslide was 500m wide and stretched for 5km and engulfed 300 buildings.

The landslide was triggered by torrential rain that has hit many regions with a death toll that has climbed to 2,100 making this the deadliest floods in more than a decade.

With the weather forecast promising more heavy rain the work of the more than 7,000 relief workers looking for survivors and helping the homeless is going to be very difficult, with constant danger of further landslides.

With many roads and bridges wiped out or impassable, relief supplies are running low.